DISCUSS COURT CASE HERE JW.org - Jehovah’s Witnesses Mobilize Global Response to Threat of Ban in Russia

[kejedo]

One Bethelite Sister told me she had eleven addresses to write to.

Edited April 2, 2017 by kejedo

[Luezette]

Why are they singing in English in that video if they're Russian friends?

Maybe I'm on guard since that phony picture supposedly of letters in Russia, with United States postal written on the front?

I hope not, I want to be fair.

So if I'm not being fair, please forgive me. 

[EverlastingLifeInView]

12 minutes ago, Luezette said:

Why are they singing in English in that video if they're Russian friends?

Maybe I'm on guard since that phony picture supposedly of letters in Russia, with United States postal written on the front?

I hope not, I want to be fair.

So if I'm not being fair, please forgive me. 

I found out its actually the friends in United Kingdom singing outside the post office 

[Thomas Walker]

42 minutes ago, EverlastingLifeInView said:

I found out its actually the friends in United Kingdom singing outside the post office 

 

Bzzt.

 

 

Look at the third song, around the seven minute mark. It's a different angle, probably a different camera, but I'm almost positive it's the same street, and the same song. This was one of three flash mobs for the International Convention.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but looks about the same.

[EccentricM]

58 minutes ago, Luezette said:

Why are they singing in English in that video if they're Russian friends?

Maybe I'm on guard since that phony picture supposedly of letters in Russia, with United States postal written on the front?

I hope not, I want to be fair.

So if I'm not being fair, please forgive me. 

 

On the contrary, the information is appreciated! 

Edited April 2, 2017 by EccentricM

[Tortuga]

I hope the letter campaign has some effect but Putin has been working on this ban for a long time and seems pretty determined to make it happen. 

 

*** w11 7/15 p. 4 A Lengthy Legal Struggle Ends in Victory! ***
The first stage of the struggle began in June 1995. A Moscow-based group that is openly aligned with the Russian Orthodox Church filed a complaint accusing our brothers of engaging in criminal activities. 
 

 

*** w11 7/15 p. 8 A Lengthy Legal Struggle Ends in Victory! ***
On August 25, 2004, our brothers delivered a petition to the Kremlin addressed to Vladimir Putin, then president of Russia. The petition, expressing deep concern about the ban, consisted of 76 volumes and contained over 315,000 signatures. Meanwhile, the Russian Orthodox clergy showed their true colors. A spokesman for the Moscow Patriarchy declared: “We are very much against the activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” A Muslim leader said that the ruling on the ban was “a milestone and positive event.”
 

Edited April 2, 2017 by Tortuga

[Sunnyside]

Things are changing faster. We need to be on guard. As an ally of Russia in an African country, ( wont mention which one for its still not open knowledge ) the government of the land has frozen the local branch's bank account.

We need to be ready.

Sent from my SM-T530NU using Tapatalk

[retroHelen]

Quoting the post: "Witnesses in Russia are keeping a positive spirit it seems at the end of this video" Yes the video in the post above does include footage from another Youtube video of a flash mob of JWs singing in Bath during the height of the tourist season outside the area of the Roman Baths tourist site. There is more than one version of this circulating on the internet and I recognised this footage immediately. This footage was taken a few years ago and has nothing to do with Russia.

 

This "Russia" video  is just a cobble up of official JW.org footage and a flash mob video made to look part of the Russian JW problem - It kind of lost my credibility when the footage to the UK people said they were singing outside government buildings - as if it was what they were doing like a protest. Fake theocratic news with a computer generated voice-over  which makes the motive of it's editor look suspicious.

 

Singing Theocratic songs outside government buildings would be against our organisation's guidelines anyway. It would annoy the people in the buildings, seem disrespectful and looks frankly silly. Is this what the creator of the video wants to do - make us look silly? Sorry, but I personally don't like it. Using footage in such a false way makes me feel uncomfortable about the whole thing.

Edited April 2, 2017 by retroHelen

[Doug]

On 4/1/2017 at 7:01 AM, Zebra555 said:

I don't think that we would support  B the G and start writing letters of support for them, would we?

 

Possibly we could. Not support BTG, per se'.  However, the issue before the court could very well apply to us too.

In Latin, it's 'Amicus curiae', meaning 'Friend of the court'.

Wikipedia says 'An amicus curiae is someone who is not a party to a case and is not solicited by a party, but who assists a court by offering information that bears on the case'.

[Tortuga]

51 minutes ago, Sunnyside said:

Things are changing faster. We need to be on guard. As an ally of Russia in an African country, ( wont mention which one for its still not open knowledge ) the government of the land has frozen the local branch's bank account.

Wow, do you have first hand knowledge of this or was it shared with you?

[Shawnster]

Some congregations in some branches were instructed to write the Russian embassy or consulate in their country.  Bolivia is one of those countries.  It was determined the mail service in those areas was too slow and unreliable to have the letters reach Russia by the deadline.

 

Just a reminder that we should not be quick to accuse anyone of not following directions.  If they do not live in the same branch territory we live in, they may have received different instructions than we did.

Yes, it does appear the video we're discussing is not showing Russian brothers and sisters in Russia.  

[Araujo JW]

This message I received from an São Paulo brother who attends the Russian congregation:

 

"Good afternoon! I just left the meeting. Have you seen what modern Sanaqueribe is doing? He is taking several TV images around the world making accusations against us to justify our banishment in Russia to manipulate world opinion in his favor. He also ordered all Russian embassies to return the letters to the senders. But what he still does not understand is that the people of Jehovah have anticipated in revealing to the world the intolerance of him and the orthodox of his country and now he is trying to justify himself in the international community".

[Ahuvah]

The Russian Embassy in Colombia apparently are returning the letters already. (which is creating work for the PO staff again).

[Tortuga]

1 minute ago, Stormswift said:

The Russian Embassy in Colombia apparently are returning the letters already. (which is creating work for the PO staff again).

Interesting. I wonder if the Russian Postal system will do the same...

[Ahuvah]

I guess time will tell ... either way they will be binned or returned, doesn't mean he doesn't know what the letters say ... and the postal workers in our countries will get another 'witness' on the way home. 

[Tortuga]

8 minutes ago, Stormswift said:

I guess time will tell ... either way they will be binned or returned, doesn't mean he doesn't know what the letters say ... and the postal workers in our countries will get another 'witness' on the way home. 

It creates another opportunity for the media to report it especially if some other religious or humanitarian group was involved and alerts the media.

[Tbs77]

Wouldn't it be amazing if pushing between KOTS and KOTN resumed over Jehovah's people?!

[Luezette]

Helen! Thank you sooo much for what you just posted about our supposedly Russian family in that video. I felt something. I kept thinking to myself "why are they singing in English? I knew something was wrong! 

Yes indeed we have to be careful, as in be on guard! 

There's no such thing as being too careful, especially now!

Thank you again! 

[New World Explorer]

The best policy is a "cool head" policy.

All we need to do is see how Jehovah will handle situation in Russia and wait for trustworthy information from the Jw.org

(look how quickly we got instructions for letter writing campaign) 

 

 

[Luezette]

Guess what was the main conversation topic today before and after the meeting? 

Give up? Ok, hint: The Russian situation regarding our Russian family.

And yes Greg, all we can do now is wait and see what Jehovah will do. And whatever he decides will be the absolute best!

Edited April 2, 2017 by Luezette

[Tortuga]

21 hours ago, EccentricM said:

Witnesses in Russia are keeping a positive spirit it seems at the end of this video.  

 

 

Do you know the source of this video? It doesn't appear to be made by witnesses. 

[Luezette]

Richard, I strongly doubt that video was made by us. Humph! As a matter of fact, I'll go as far to say that it was not made by one of us. And "by us one of us" I'm referring to JW's who are approved by Jehovah, therefore in good standing in the congregation. 

[EccentricM]

7 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

Do you know the source of this video? It doesn't appear to be made by witnesses. 

The uploader seems to be a witness. On their channel they have many videos supporting the organisation and jw.org. 

 

I know the videos contained are real regarding Russians planting evidence. Seen them from multiple sources. The end video I think of the brothers signing is just a misunderstanding, it looks as if they are saying those are the brothers in Russia, but simply the uploader is saying that the brothers will remain strong in tribulation. A motivational video of sorts.  Though a bit misleading with the whole "singing in front of governments comment" at the end (which is what tricked me initially), perhaps it was not literal.

Edited April 2, 2017 by EccentricM

[Ahuvah]

And, that is why we have to be so careful about what we are posting, because even if in good intentions we post the wrong thing and haven't sourced it ... (which is different to posting something to find out its source) then other brothers and sisters may label us as unfaithful or even apostate as these tricks are what they employ.

[Luezette]

Matthew, "seems to be a witness" aren't words that we've come to associate with this clean, righteous organization that belongs to Jehovah. 

So and so is either a witness, or so and so isn't a witness. So which is it...exactly? 

Well, I'm not gonna go at this, for Jehovah knows who belongs to him. Anyone who is masquerading as one of his people will be exposed!